Going out in the sun

Hi I have had stage 4 melanoma but after 5 years of various treatments I am cancer free at the moment. I was initially very scared because of my diagnosis but after a few months when I began to improve I decided to live my life to the full each day as much as I can. I go abroad 2 or 3 times a year to Spain ,Greece etc but tend to avoid  the hottest months. I also go on holiday in England for a few days a month. 

I wear a sun hat abroad but that’s no different as I used to wear one. I tend to wear midi skirts and a cotton shirt during the day when I am abroad. I also wear suntan cream and carry a 50 suntan stick around in my bag. My husband and I tend to go for walks in the morning and early evening. If not on a day trip I tend to sit in the shade and read or go and have coffee in the afternoons 

I feel I am one of the lucky ones who’s treatment has worked and therefore I don’t want to waste my life and tend to  what I did before my illness but I am just extra careful regarding the sun. If you read my profile you will see that I have had both targeted drugs and also immunotherapy. I only finished treatment in October so it seems strange not to go to hospital every four weeks. I now have 3 monthly scans and appointments.Sorry I feel I am rambling but just want to say to try and enjoy life and just adapt to being careful in the sun.  Hope this helps 

Mine was on my upper arm stage 1 but feeling the same as you ..I’m still recovering from the surgery x

It’s tough isn’t it, then I hear of people with much worse things and feel guilty. 
I suppose we have to formulate a dress code and plan and carry on. My husband keeps talking about beach holidays! Bless him he just doesn’t understand. 

First of all, I want to say that everyone processes their diagnosis and disease differently, on different timelines. I think what you are feeling is totally understandable. 

My own process was the exact opposite of yours. I had always been sun-averse. My entire family is that way - it's a cultural thing where being fair-skinned is seen as beautiful and desirable. We all always went out in SPF50, wide brim hats, sunglasses, or even umbrellas. Always looked for shade. As a kid I was mostly indoors. As an adult, I fell in love with hiking, so I'm often outdoors but, again, in wide hats, SPF50, long sleeves, long pants, etc

A few years ago I had stage 1a melanoma removed from the sole of my foot, which gets even less sun than the rest of my body! The Drs said my type of melanoma is thought to be unrelated to the sun. What!!! It made me so angry and frustrated for a while. But eventually I realised that I cannot control every single little thing. There will always be unknowns. I cannot possibly be more afraid of the sun (or some unknown genetic thing) without it ruining my life. So, instead, since my diagnosis, I have becomes less afraid and more pragmatic. I will continue to take care, do my best to be sensible and live a healthy life, but I won't be afraid.

Hi Ljm 

Whilst you do need to work out how best to protect yourself in the sun, you certainly don't need to be "absolutely terrified of going out in the sun". 

You don't have to stop doing things you used to enjoy doing in the sun, unless that was sunbathing, but you might need to change some things to protect yourself, depending on how you were in the sun before.

When I was diagnosed with melanoma I was told the following was necessary to protect myself in the sun:

1. Stay out of the sun during the strongest time of the day (11am to 3pm) between April and October inclusive in the UK and in all months of the year in any other part of the world
2. When going outside wear long sleeved tops and trousers/skirts made from natural fibres like cotton
3. Wear a broad brimmed hat (brim should be at least 3 inches) and sun glasses
4. Sit in the shade and never sunbathe 
5. Any part of your body that is not covered, ie face, neck, back of hands should have a sun protection cream of SPF 50 that is effective against both UVA and UVB rays
6. Re-apply the sunscreen as directed on the bottle
7. Never use sunbeds
8. Don't use sunscreen instead of covering up

The first summer after I was diagnosed was particularly hard as I used to enjoy sitting in the sun. However, I quickly got used to the new regime and have a selection of hats to choose from when I go out. I also decided that I now needed a whole new wardrobe so went on a shopping spree. So, every cloud has a silver lining!

I enjoy walking so have to admit that if I'm away on holiday and we're planning a walk I don't then stick to the rule of staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm but just make sure that I'm covered up and wearing sunscreen on my face and back of hands. It's just not always practical to stay indoors for 4 hours in the middle of the day.

x

Thank you for your sensible advice, I hope I feel like you do soon. This was my first year so hopefully with time I will adapt. X

I am careful to use sun creams and block, but I don't worry about all this too much. 

A few years ago when I reached stage 4, there was a point in my treatment when my consultant gave me six months to live. Happily I have come through that now thanks to the meds, the wonderful NHS treatment & staff. That period has had an effect on me and I try to make the most of my life since without being too crazy!  Though as you can see from my account name I am a sailor and I spend a a lot of weekends out on the water.

Like everything in this melanoma world, its different for each of us, and it takes sometime to get used to these changes. But you do get used to them, and dealing with it all t does get easier over time.

Take care,

J

Thank you for sharing your experience J. I hope that I can calm down and start living life again. I used to sail s lot to maybe I will get the confidence to go back to it. 
L

You totally will adjust. little by little.  I hope you find some time to sail again too, we all need a few pleasures and being out on the water in the breeze is a very special one!

Isn’t it just! I miss that feeling a lot.